In this double-whammy week of French gloire, Bastille Day plus World Cup victoire, a half dozen proudly round sounding ooohh French words which have been playing in my ears since I stumbled upon them.

First, a few onomatopoeic verbs and nouns, starting with ‘couiner’, meaning to squeak (as in mouse), to squeal (as in pig), to screech (as in brakes), or to whine (as in children).  A squeak, squeal, screech or whine of this kind is ‘un couinement’.

Enjoy the sound but be spared the noise.

See also ‘chuchoter’ and ‘chuinter’.